Taft man pleads no contest to auto theft

A Taft man arrested on auto theft charges last month will be sentenced on May 7 after he pleaded no contest to one felony count.

Manuel Gutierrez entered the plea on Tuesday to taking a vehicle without the owner's permission in Taft branch of Kern County Superior Court.

Gutierrez, 40, and his wife, Abigail, 38, were arrested by Kern County Sheriff's deputies on March 29.

Deputies were alerted to the theft by the victim, who saw his car drive past him on the 200 block of Harrison Street.The victim followed and led deputies to the Courtyard Terrace Apartments a couple of blocks away.

They found the Gutierrez's and arrested them.

Charges against Abigail Gutierrez were dismissed.

The couple is still being held without bail pending an April 16 court appearance on a charge of violating their post-release supervision for prior convictions.